Intermittent Vibration sound at higher speeds

[2004LEPlatinumNJ4x4]

When on the highway once in a while I'll feel like I'm going over those little mini white speed strips you see coming down big hills.

 

Very minor feeling and lasts about 1 second then goes away and will happen every 3-4 mins or so when going 60-70 mph

 

04 pathfinder

 

Anyone know what it could be? Hopefully not a tranny issue

[2004LEPlatinumNJ4x4]

Feels like it comes from the rear

[fleurys]

When is the last time you changed your transmission oil ? This sounds like trans shudder...

[Gusthebus]

When is the last time you changed your transmission oil ? This sounds like trans shudder...

+1

[onespiritbrain]

Mines does something similar on the interstate.. I'd say 20hz, metallic vibration. Mine is a bushing somewhere that's gone. I'd say about every half mile or so and in every curve there is a slight change in the texture of the cement and it causes harmonic vibrations in my suspension. There is one particular curve that causes the vibration to become loud and less uniform. This doesn't happen at all, never, on blacktop curves, even at highway speeds. It does however happen in some parking lots at very slow speeds if the texture of the cement is just the right roughness. It should be noted that the same problem area makes a single noticeable metallic clank if my trans isn't warm enough for lockup yet and I let off the gas at 60mph and up. I might also have wheel bearing issues..

 

Does your issue ever flare up in certain areas? Take notice of exactly where you are and your speed at the place where the vibration occurs and try to replicate the issue. That should tell you whether or not you are experiencing harmonic reverberations caused by the road.

 

 

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Edited March 15, 2017 by onespiritbrain

[2004LEPlatinumNJ4x4]

When is the last time you changed your transmission oil ? This sounds like trans shudder...

I've never changed it Since I got it with 50k miles and i don't believe it was ever changed prior to that

[2004LEPlatinumNJ4x4]

Currently at 87,500 miles

[2004LEPlatinumNJ4x4]

Mines does something similar on the interstate.. I'd say 20hz, metallic vibration. Mine is a bushing somewhere that's gone. I'd say about every half mile or so and in every curve there is a slight change in the texture of the cement and it causes harmonic vibrations in my suspension. There is one particular curve that causes the vibration to become loud and less uniform. This doesn't happen at all, never, on blacktop curves, even at highway speeds. It does however happen in some parking lots at very slow speeds if the texture of the cement is just the right roughness. It should be noted that the same problem area makes a single noticeable metallic clank if my trans isn't warm enough for lockup yet and I let off the gas at 60mph and up. I might also have wheel bearing issues..

 

Does your issue ever flare up in certain areas? Take notice of exactly where you are and your speed at the place where the vibration occurs and try to replicate the issue. That should tell you whether or not you are experiencing harmonic reverberations caused by the road.

 

 

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I've only noticed it at higher speeds on the highway , I'll try to take notice of the road conditions more and also try to notice if it happens at lower speeds

[2004LEPlatinumNJ4x4]

I've heard changing the trans fluid at this stage can possibly kill the transmission tho ? Should I keep the old stuff in it or have it flushed?

[mjotrainbrain]

I've heard changing the trans fluid at this stage can possibly kill the transmission tho ? Should I keep the old stuff in it or have it flushed?

 

I wouldn't risk it until you've checked other things. Perhaps it's death wobble? Check all bushing in the suspension and steering, particularly those in the trailing arms.

[fleurys]

I've heard changing the trans fluid at this stage can possibly kill the transmission tho ? Should I keep the old stuff in it or have it flushed?

There is a difference between flushing and simply changing the oil. A transmission shudder is exactly the symptoms that you stated. If it is the problem and you do not do anything, you will eventually kill your transmission, so for me it makes no doubts you should try to save it and change the oil and filter. There is still about 50% of the oil that will still be in the torque converter and will mix with the new oil.

 

With this you will see if it gets better or not....

 

Go watch transmission shudder videos on youtube and see if your issue is the same... You will eventually have to change your trans oil....

[2004LEPlatinumNJ4x4]

There is a difference between flushing and simply changing the oil. A transmission shudder is exactly the symptoms that you stated. If it is the problem and you do not do anything, you will eventually kill your transmission, so for me it makes no doubts you should try to save it and change the oil and filter. There is still about 50% of the oil that will still be in the torque converter and will mix with the new oil.

 

With this you will see if it gets better or not....

 

Go watch transmission shudder videos on youtube and see if your issue is the same... You will eventually have to change your trans oil....

Okay I will do this if needed thank you! I will tell my mechanic since I'm getting new rotors and brakes up front next oil change I will add this to the list.

 

However until then should I try adding an additive for now? And see if that works?

[2004LEPlatinumNJ4x4]

I looked up videos of shuddering and that's exactly what my pathy is doing however not nearly as loud or often as the videos I watched

 

Quieter, lasts a second then usually goes aways for a few mins

 

But that is exactly what it seems like

[Remus92]

Change out the filter and fluid as suggested and see if it helps!

[Citron]

I have heard people say that changing fluids can cause problems, but I have never seen it or met anyone that had it happen. I have never met anyone that knew anyone personally that had it happen. I think it may be an old wives tale.

[Remus92]

Old wives tail. Centered on flushes. The idea being that new fluid being forced through will break apart corrosion or gummed up junk and clog parts of the transmission causing failure.

 

However if you never change the fluid the lubricating properties of the fluid continue to degrade. Causing more wear and more heat effectively burning up the transmission because you never gave it new fluid.

 

So if you are concerned. Drop the pan. Change the internal filter and refill with fresh fluid. As stated above it will not replace 100% of the fluid within the transmission as a flush would. But you will lose the transmission quicker if you do nothing.

[Slartibartfast]

I flushed my '93 through the cooler lines (didn't bother with the pan) at around 230K, and AFAIK the oil I removed was original. It was still reddish on the stick but in the bucket, that crap was brown. It worked fine before the flush, and it continues to work fine a year or three later. If you wait to flush the fluid until the trans is properly worn out and starting to slip, then draining that gritty mess out of there will probably finish it off. Given your mileage and how you aren't complaining of a whole lot more than a vibration, I doubt a flush with the right fluid would hurt your trans.

I'm not familiar with this trans shudder issue so I've got nothing to add there. Hopefully catching it early means it's a simple fix.

[jyeager]

If your tranny fails after a fluid change, and because of the fluid change, it was going to fail later anyway.

I changed my fluid at 300,000 miles. Tranny is still going strong.

Just do it.

When did it become wise to NOT perform routine maintenance?

 

[onespiritbrain]

I've only ever experienced the opposite. I swapped the oil with the cooling lines in my wife's Honda, and I used store brand equivalent trans oil too, and it instantly revived her torque converter. Information that says putting the correct new oil in a transmission is anecdotal. A power flush might be a different story with a tech who is clueless but those machines are adjustable and any tech worth his salt will know to ask when the last trans maintenance was performed in addition to taking a sample of the fluid before blasting deposits loose.

 

The best way to do it is slowly anyway. The cooling line swap was an emergency deal for me. If your torque converter really is slipping like my wife's was then yours is an emergency also..

 

I'll detail both procedures:

 

Cooling line swap. (2 people - 2 hours)

You need the following:

1. Two 5 quart paint mixing buckets(clear)

2. 12 quarts of the correct trans oil

3. One 5 gallon bucket

4. Something to clamp the feeding cooling line shut or a plug to stick in it

5. Zip ties

6. Paper and a pen

7. Transmission fill funnel

 

How to:

*Pre step(too lazy to change all the numbers): Bring trans to operating temperature by driving around for a bit.

1. Take loose both trans cooling lines from the bottom of your radiator.

2. Aim each hose in to one of your clear 5qt buckets. You may need zip ties to hold the hoses in place.

3. Have someone start the vehicle. One of the hoses will begin pouring trans oil. As soon as you see which one that is, STOP THE ENGINE.

4. Take notice of where the 2 and 3 quarts marks are on the buckets. Helps to mark it with a sharpie.

5. Start the engine again and let the bucket fill to the 2 quart mark, then STOP THE ENGINE. It will probably continue pouring out a bit after and you should have about 3 quarts of trans fluid in the bucket. It's okay if you have less than 3qt or a little more. Be careful not to have 4 or more quarts of oil in the clear bucket with the engine running.

6. Write down exactly how much is in the clear bucket.

7. Plug or clamp the hose.

8. Dump the clear bucket in to the 5 gallon bucket.

9. Put the exact amount that you wrote down of new trans oil in to your second 5qt bucket(the one that didn't get any oil in it at the beginning)

10. Pour the new trans fluid you measured out in to the transmission with your transmission fill funnel.

11. Repeat steps 5 through 9 until your transmission oil changes from dark red/brown/black to brighter red or until you run out of trans oil. *If you buy a bunch of trans oil you can keep going until the oil coming from the cooling line looks exactly like new oil*

12. When finished hook your trans cooling lines back up and you are done.

 

Drain and fill(1 person - 4 to 8 days)

You will need:

1. 12 quarts of the correct trans oil

2. One 5 quart paint mixing bucket(clear)

3. Transmission fill funnel

 

How to:

1. Drive around until trans is at operating temperature.

2. Drain 3 quarts of trans oil in to your clear bucket.

3. Fill trans back up with exact amount you drained.

4. Wait until the next day or two.

5. Repeat steps 1 through 4 until you are out of transmission oil.

 

Both ways work but the slow way I think is better and safer.

 

 

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[2004LEPlatinumNJ4x4]

Thank you all so much

 

Checked my fluid today with the dip stick and it was still redish with yellow/brown tint to it, didn't notice any medals on the stick or napkin

 

I called a local transmission shop that's highly reputable and told him my situation

 

Said as long as it's still redish he will change it and the filter, no flush. Just a change of fluid and filter.

 

Quoted me at $200 and again this shop has nothing but great reviews

 

Should I go do it in the near future?

 

Call my regular mechanic and see if he's cheaper or go with the specialists?

[onespiritbrain]

Unless you have a funnel and all that stuff laying around it'll cost you about $100 to do it yourself. $100 to have someone with experience do it for you isn't a bad deal in my opinion. Make sure you ask him if he is going to do a full fluid swap. A simple drain and fill isn't worth $200, even with a filter change. And honestly, unless you have a serious issue going on with your transmission eating itself alive, that filter is going to be clean as a whistle. All you need is a full fluid swap.

 

My transmission ate itself to pieces.. there were two inch long curls of metal, metal chips galore, and metal pins all in the pan after mine tanked but there was nothing at all in the filter. It was perfectly clean.

 

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Edited March 16, 2017 by onespiritbrain

[Slartibartfast]

I think fluids for mine ran me about $50, and I used a pop bottle and a piece of scrap hose as a funnel... and the used fluid came in real handy for burning out some tree stumps. But yeah, if you don't want to do it yourself, I imagine a shop could get it in and out pretty quickly. It can be kind of a messy process.

 

I've heard the same about the pan filter, which is why I didn't bother with mine.

 

(Two inch curls of metal... that thing died hard!)

[Mbrianc]

I had a noise like that coming from the front of my 02 at highway speeds only. Turns out the PO had serviced​ the front driver side wheel bearings, and didn't use enough grease.

 

Cost me two new bearings and a hub assembly.

 

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Edited March 18, 2017 by Mbrianc